Common Cube’s newest tune “Curse” is the primary single from the band’s new studio effort titled Misfit Memoirs. It reveals that songwriter Gerry Dantone and his expert cohorts are working at or close to the height of their powers and nonetheless pursuing a contemporary but acquainted aesthetic. Dantone comes throughout as a real believer in Lou Reed’s thought you can write rock music for grown-ups reasonably than attempting to maintain a profession primarily based on letting the nice instances roll, quick vehicles, and ladies. “Curse” doesn’t hesitate to take care of thorny, even uncomfortable, human feelings and doesn’t supply straightforward solutions. His unflinching depiction of individuals locked in dramatic fight with all the attendant heated feelings, penalties, and aftermath is an outstanding instance of rock music’s enduring energy within the twenty first century.

You may inform Dantone is a real believer. It comes by way of each second of this five-minute plus lower. Traditional rock followers will notice that Dantone has discovered his classes properly for structuring a ballad, not the highest 40 selection, however reasonably a substantive observe that takes listeners on a deep emotional dive. The feelings laced all through the tune’s lyrics are dramatic, and Dantone’s singing treats them with the respect they deserve. He’s an attentive singer who shapes his singing to suit the motion of the music reasonably than attempting to cleared the path along with his voice.

This seamlessness between the tune’s varied parts strengthens the general bundle. Dantone and his bandmates depart no stone unturned to make the tune a hit. The lead guitar enjoying within the tune’s second half provides savory taste to an already tasty efficiency with out ever sounding too cliched. A tune akin to this might simply smack of pretentiousness in much less refined fingers. Nonetheless, Dantone and his musical companions grasp what it wants and ship the products with fashion.

“Curse” advantages from excellent manufacturing values. There’s not a plethora of devices cluttering the association, and every participant comes by way of with out overshadowing their bandmates. The sunshine veneer of orchestration current all through the piece solely will increase the tune’s affect on listeners. Dantone’s voice exists aspect by aspect with the devices reasonably than sounding superimposed over the association.

The development is impeccable. Dantone’s songwriting eschews any pointless detours or extravagance in favor of presenting the tune to most impact. He opens the efficiency with plaintive acoustic guitar chords and concludes the efficiency on the identical notice affording us with a uncommon unity from such materials. There’s a little bit of self-consciousness you’ll be able to infer from such a construct. In Dantone’s fingers, it sounds pure.

The observe lives and breathes with minimal effort. Nothing sounds labored or overworked. Common Cube crafts a single that can fulfill any longtime rock fan, younger or outdated, and performs the enviable feat of balancing the previous and current with out ever deferring an excessive amount of in both path. There usually are not many bands or solo artists you’ll be able to say that about. Common Cube’s “Curse” checks off each conceivable field and leaves you wanting extra.  

Mindy McCall